Wireless optical communications without electronics

ABSTRACT

A system for exchanging optical signals between two separate locations. Each location is provided with a transceiver that includes a transmitter and a receiver. Both the transmitter and the receiver are based on a transceiver unit, used as a transmitter unit in the transmitter and as a receiver unit in the receiver. The transceiver unit includes a multimode optical waveguide and imaging optics that collimates the light emerging from the waveguide in the transmitter implementation of the unit and that focuses incoming light onto the waveguide in the receiver implementation of the unit. The waveguide is terminated by a FC/APC to suppress reflections at the waveguide/air interface. In each transceiver, the units are mounted in clusters, with their optical axes all parallel. Transmitter units of a transmitter cluster are optically coupled via a splitter to a common input waveguide, possibly via one or more optical amplifiers. Receiver units of a receiver cluster are optically coupled via a combiner to a common output waveguide. Alternatively, the receiver includes an airlink receiver to convert incoming optical signals to electronic signals and a converter unit to convert the electronic signals back to optical signals. The common waveguides in turn are optically coupled to network interface units at each location. Transceivers are aimed at each other to exchange optical signals between the two locations.

This application claims the benefit of Ser. No. 60/100,632 filed Sep.16, 1998.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wireless communications systems ingeneral, and more particularly to optical wireless communicationssystems.

Medved et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,619, which is incorporated byreference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein, teach awireless communications system for linking different parts of an opticalcommunications network. Each part of the network is provided with one ormore optical communications network interface units and with universalconverter units that are optically coupled to their respective networkinterface units. Each universal converter unit includes an airlinktransmitter, an airlink receiver, a fiber optic receiver and a fiberoptic transmitter. The fiber optic receiver receives outgoing opticalsignals from the network interface unit and transforms these opticalsignals to electronic signals. These electronic signals are sent to theairlink transmitter, where these electronic signals are transformed backto optical signals and transmitted as such into free space. The airlinkreceiver receives optical signals that were transmitted into free spaceby another universal converter unit and transforms these incomingoptical signals into electronic signals. These electronic signals aresent to the fiber optic transmitter, which transforms these electronicsignals back to optical signals that are sent to the network interfaceunit via a fiber optic cable. The network interface units and theuniversal converter units are operated in pairs, with each member of thepair being a portion of a different optical communications network or ofa different part of the same optical communications network. The airlinktransmitter of each universal converter unit is aimed at the airlinkreceiver of the other universal converter unit to enable exchange ofoptical signals between the two optical communications network orbetween the two parts of the same optical communications network.

The wireless communications system of Medved et al. is intended for usein an optical communications network in which signals are encoded in asingle carrier wavelength. Recently, optical communications networksbased on dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) have beenintroduced. In a DWDM network, several carrier wavelengths aremultiplexed on the same optical fiber. The data transmission rateavailable using DWDM would overwhelm the electronics of the universalconverter units of Medved et al. In any case, the various carrierwavelengths would have to be demultiplexed, and a separate networkinterface unit and universal converter unit would he needed for eachcarrier wavelength.

There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highlyadvantageous to have, a system for linking two parts of an opticalcommunications network that are remote from each other in a way thatfacilitates the exchange of DWDM optical signals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an optical deviceincluding: (a) a multimode optical waveguide having a proximal end and adistal end; (b) a single mode optical waveguide having a distal end; (c)a mechanism for optically coupling the distal end of the single modeoptical waveguide to the proximal end of the multimode opticalwaveguide; and (d) imaging optics, optically coupled to the distal endof the multimode optical waveguide.

According to the present invention there is provided an opticaltransmitter, including: (a) a common input optical waveguide; (b) aplurality of transmitter optical waveguides, each transmitter opticalwaveguide having a distal end; (c) for each transmitter opticalwaveguide, imaging optics, optically coupled to the distal end of theeach transmitter optical waveguide; and (d) a mechanism for opticallycoupling the common input optical waveguide to the transmitter opticalwaveguides.

According to the present invention there is provided an opticalreceiver, including: (a) a common output optical waveguide; (b) aplurality of receiver optical waveguides, each receiver opticalwaveguide having a distal end; (c) for each receiver optical waveguide,imaging optics, optically coupled to the distal end of the each receiveroptical waveguide; and (d) a mechanism for optically coupling the commonoutput optical waveguide to the receiver optical waveguides.

According to the present invention there is provided an opticaltransceiver including: (a) a transmitter optical waveguide having adistal end; (b) transmitter imaging optics, having a transmitter opticalaxis, optically coupled to the distal end of the transmitter opticalwaveguide; (c) a plurality of receiver optical waveguides, each receiveroptical waveguide having a distal end; and (d) for each receiver opticalwaveguide, receiver imaging optics, having a receiver optical axis,optically coupled to the distal end of the each receiver opticalwaveguide, the transmitter optical axis and the receiver optical axesall being substantially parallel.

According to the present invention there is provided a wirelesscommunications system, including: (a) a transmitter optical waveguidehaving a proximal end and a distal end; (b) transmitter imaging optics,optically coupled to the distal end of the transmitter opticalwaveguide; (c) at least one receiver optical waveguide having a proximalend and a distal end; (d) for each at least one receiver opticalwaveguide, receiver imaging optics optically coupled to the distal endof the at least one receiver optical waveguide; and (e) an opticalcommunication network interface unit, optically coupled to the proximalends of the transmitter optical waveguide and of the at least onereceiver optical waveguide, for transmitting optical signals to thetransmitter optical waveguide and for receiving optical signals from theat least one receiver optical waveguide.

According to the present invention there is provided an opticaltransceiver including: (a) a transmitter optical waveguide having adistal end; (b) transmitter imaging optics, having a transmitter opticalaxis, optically coupled to the distal end of the transmitter opticalwaveguide; and (c) an airlink receiver having a receiver optical axissubstantially parallel to the transmitter optical axis.

According to the present invention there is provided a wirelesscommunication system including: (a) a transmitter optical waveguidehaving a proximal end and a distal end; (b) transmitter imaging optics,optically coupled to the distal end of the transmitter opticalwaveguide; (c) an airlink receiver; (d) a converter unit, electricallycoupled to the airlink receiver; and (e) an optical communicationnetwork interface unit, optically coupled to the proximal end of thetransmitter optical waveguide and to the converter unit, fortransmitting optical signals to the transmitter optical waveguide andfor receiving optical signals from the converter unit.

According to the present invention there is provided an optical deviceincluding: (a) an optical fiber having a distal end; and (b) a FC/APCfiber optic connector serving as a reflection-suppressing interfacebetween the distal end and a rarefied optical medium.

According to the present invention there is provided a wireless systemfor transmitting wavelength-multiplexed optical signals from a firstlocation to a second location, including: (a) an optical-transmitter, atthe first location, the optical transmitter including a multimode inputoptical waveguide for receiving the optical signals; and (b) an opticalreceiver, at the second location, for receiving the optical signals fromthe optical transmitter.

According to the present invention there is provided a method forexchanging optical signals between two parts of an optical network,including the steps of: (a) providing each part of the network with: (i)a network interface unit, and (ii) a transceiver including: (A)transmitter imaging optics, (B) at least one transmitter opticalwaveguide for optically coupling the network interface unit to thetransmitter imaging optics, (C) receiver imaging optics, and (D) atleast one receiver optical waveguide for optically coupling the networkinterface unit to the receiver imaging optics; and (b) aiming thetransceivers so that at least part of the optical signals emerging fromthe transmitter imaging optics of a first the transceiver areintercepted by the receiver imaging optics of a second the transceiverand so that at least part of the optical signals emerging from thetransmitter imaging optics of the second transceiver are intercepted bythe receiver imaging optics of the first transceiver.

According to the present invention there is provided a method forexchanging optical signals between two parts of an optical network,including the steps of: (a) providing each part of the network with: (i)a network interface unit, and (ii) a transceiver including: (A)transmitter imaging optics, (B) at least one transmitter opticalwaveguide for optically coupling the network interface unit to thetransmitter imaging optics, (C) an airlink receiver, and (D) a converterunit, electrically coupled to the airlink receiver and optically coupledto the network interface unit; and (b) aiming the transceivers so thatat least part of the optical signals emerging from the transmitterimaging optics of a first the transceiver are intercepted by the airlinkreceiver of a second the transceiver and so that at least part of theoptical signals emerging from the transmitter imaging optics of thesecond transceiver are intercepted by the airlink receiver of the firsttransceiver.

The basic idea of the present invention is to eliminate the conversionof optical signals in the universal converter unit to electronic signalsand then back to optical signals. Instead, the outgoing optical signals,from one network interface unit in one part of the opticalcommunications network, are launched directly into free space and arereceived directly by another network interface unit in another part ofthe optical communications network.

To facilitate the direct exchange of optical signals between the networkinterface units, each network interface unit is provided with an opticaltransceiver, based on a transceiver unit that is used either as atransmitter unit or a receiver unit. A basic transceiver unit has anoptical fiber terminating at one end of a cylindrical housing andimaging optics at the other end of the housing. The optical fiber isprovided with a mechanism, such as a FC/APC, for suppressing reflectionsat the fiber-air interface. When the transceiver unit is used as atransmitter unit, optical signals launched from the end of the opticalfiber are collimated by the imaging optics into a collimated beam. Whenthe transceiver unit is used as a receiver unit, the imaging opticsfocus optical signals that they intercept onto the end of the opticalfiber. Preferably, the optical fiber is a multimode optical fiber sothat the beam launched from the optical fiber in transmitter mode has anadequately large divergence angle.

The transmitter units and the receiver units are used in clusters, toovercome scintillation. In a compound transmitter that includes severaltransmitter units, the optical fibers of the transmitter units areconnected to a common input optical fiber by a splitter. In a compoundreceiver that includes several receiver units, the optical fibers of thereceiver units are connected to a common output optical fiber by acombiner. For transmission over distances greater than several hundredmeters, it is necessary to amplify the optical signals input to thetransmitter, using an optical amplifier such as an erbium-doped fiberamplifier or a semiconductor fiber amplifier. In a compound transmitter,one optical amplifier may be provided for the common input opticalfiber, or each transmitter unit may be provided with its own opticalamplifier. In the latter case, because the input and output of anoptical amplifier is via a single mode optical fiber, a mechanism suchas a FC/APC is provided for coupling the single mode output of eachoptical amplifier to the multimode optical fiber of the respectivetransmitter unit.

To facilitate aiming, the transmitter and receiver units of atransceiver are aligned mutually so that all their optical axes areparallel.

The common output optical fiber of a compound receiver preferably is amultimode fiber. In case the network interface unit is designed toreceive single mode optical input, the common output optical fiber isprovided with a passive adapter, such as a graded index lens or acollimator, for coupling the common output optical fiber to the networkinterface unit. Similarly, the multimode optical fiber of a single-unitreceiver is provided in such a case with a similar passive adapter.

As an alternative to all-optical reception, a transceiver of the presentinvention may include an airlink receiver and a fiber optic transmitter,as in the prior art universal converter unit. The transmitter of thetransceiver remains all-optical.

In the application of the present invention to the exchange of DWDMsignals, each network interface unit preferably includes a demultiplexerfor demultiplexing the DWDM signals.

Although the examples of the present invention described herein arebased on optical fibers, it is to be understood that the scope of thepresent invention includes optical waveguides generally. The wavelengthsof the optical signals that fall within the scope of the presentinvention include infrared, viable, and ultraviolet wavelengths,although the preferred wavelengths are those that are commonly used foroptical communication: wavelengths in the neighborhood of 850 nm,wavelengths in the neighborhood of 1330 nm and wavelengths in theneighborhood of 1550 nm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows two schematic axial cross sections of two variants of atransceiver unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of a system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows three different transceiver unit cluster configurations;

FIG. 4 shows a variant of a transmitter cluster that includes opticalamplifiers;

FIG. 5 is a schematic depiction of an alternate transceiver of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial schematic depiction of a system of the presentinvention for exchanging DWDM optical signals.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is of an optical communications system which canbe use to link two widely separated parts of an optical communicationsnetwork. Specifically, the present invention can be used to exchangeDWDM signals between is the two parts of the network.

The principles and operation of optical communications according to thepresent invention may be better understood with reference to thedrawings and the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates two variants, 10A and10B, of a basic transceiver unit 10 of the present invention. Variants10A and 10B are illustrated schematically, in axial cross section. Bothvariants are based on a substantially cylindrical housing 12, at thedistal end 14 of which are imaging optics, represented as a lens 18, andat the proximal end 16 of which is a multimode optical fiber 20 whosedistal end 22 is terminated in a FC/APC 24. Variant 10B includes, inaddition, a single mode optical fiber 28, optically coupled at thedistal end 30 thereof to the proximal end 26 of multimode fiber 20 by aFC/APC 32.

Imaging optics 18 define an optical axis 34. When unit 10 is used as atransmitter, optical signals emerge from distal end 22 of optical fiber20 as a divergent beam of light that is collimated by imaging optics 18to propagate as a collimated beam of light in the direction defined byoptical axis 34. When unit 10 is used as a receiver, unit 10 is aimed sothat imaging optics 18 intercept a portion of an incoming beam of lightthat carries optical signals. Imaging optics 18 focuses the incominglight onto distal end 22 of optical fiber 20. The focal length ofimaging optics 18 is adapted to the divergence angle of optical fiber20.

Typically, optical fibers 20 and 28 are made of optically pure glass.Single mode optical fiber 28 typically has a core diameter of 9 microns.Multimode optical fiber 20 typically has a core diameter of 50, 62.5 and100 microns, most preferably 100 microns. The purpose of FC/APC 24 is tosuppress reflections at the air-glass interface at distal end 22 ofoptical fiber 20. This use of an FC/APC to suppress reflections at aninterface between a solid optical fiber and a rarefied optical mediumsuch as air constitutes an independent aspect of the present invention.The purpose of FC/APC 32 is to connect, and to optically couple, opticalfibers 20 and 28. An FC/APC is particularly convenient for this purposebecause both optical fibers 20 and 28 typically have the same claddingdiameter, 125 microns.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative schematic depiction of a system of the presentinvention, for linking two parts of an optical communications network,represented by two network interface units 58L and 58R. Each part of theoptical communications network is provided with a transceiver 36 thatincludes a transmitter 38 and a receiver 40. Transmitter 38 includes acluster of three transceiver units 10 configured as transmitter units42. Each transmitter unit 42 includes a transmitter optical fiber 50 anda transmitter optical axis 46. Receiver unit 40 includes a cluster ofthree transceiver units 10 configured as receiver units 44. Eachreceiver unit 44 includes a receiver optical fiber 52 and a receiveroptical axis 48. In variant A of transmitter unit 42, transmitteroptical fiber 50 is multimode optical fiber 20. In variant B oftransmitter unit 42, transmitter optical fiber 50 is the combination ofmultimode optical fiber 20 and single mode optical fiber 28, coupled byFC/APC 32. Similarly, in variant A of receiver unit 44, receiver opticalfiber 52 is multimode optical fiber 20, and in variant B of receiverunit 44, receiver optical fiber 52 is the combination of multimodeoptical fiber 20 and single mode optical fiber 28, coupled by FC/APC 32.As noted below, it is preferred that receiver units 44 be variants A oftransceiver units 10. Transmitter optical fibers 50 are opticallycoupled, at proximal ends 51 thereof, to the distal end 65 of a commoninput optical fiber 64, by a splitter 54. Receiver optical fibers 52 areoptically coupled, at proximal ends 53 thereof, to the distal end 67 ofa common output optical fiber 66. Common input optical fiber 64 isoptically coupled, at the proximal end 61 thereof, to a fiber optictransmitter 60 of network interface unit 58. Common output optical fiber66 is optically coupled, at the proximal end 63 thereof, to a fiberoptic receiver 62 of network interface unit 58.

Transmitter units 42L and receiver units 44L are mounted so that opticalaxes 46L and 48L all are parallel. Similarly, transmitter units 42R andreceiver units 44R are mounted so that optical axes 46R and 48R all areparallel. In use, transceiver 36L is aimed at transceiver 36R, so thatthe collimated beams of light emitted by transmitter units 42L are atleast partly intercepted by receiver units 44R and so that thecollimated beams of light emitted by transmitter units 42R are at leastpartly intercepted by receiver units 44L. Optical signals transmitted bynetwork interface unit 58L via transmitter 60L are conveyed, via opticalfibers 64L and 50L and splitter 54L, to transmitter units 42L, wherethese optical signals are launched into free space, as collimated beamsof light, towards transceiver 36R. At transceiver 36R, the opticalsignals received by receiver units 44R are conveyed, via optical fibers52R and 66R and combiner 56R, to receiver 62R of network interface unit58R. Meanwhile, optical signals transmitted by network interface unit58R via transmitter 60R are conveyed, via optical fibers 64R and 50R andsplitter 54R, to transmitter units 42R, where these optical signals arelaunched into free space, as collimated beams of light, towardstransceiver 36L. At transceiver 36L, the optical signals received byreceiver units 44L are conveyed, via optical fibers 52L and 66L andcombiner 56L, to receiver 62L of network interface unit 58L.

Clusters of transmitter units 42 are used in transmitter 38, andclusters of receiver units 44 are used in receiver 40, to overcomescintillation. FIG. 3 shows transverse views of three differentconfigurations of transceiver units 10 in clusters. FIG. 3A shows threetransceiver units 10 in a triangular configuration. FIG. 3B shows fourtransceiver units 10 in a square configuration. FIG. 3C shows seventransceiver units 10 in a hexagonal configuration.

Kostal et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,315, teaches a similar system, fortemporarily bridging a break in an optical fiber network. Because Kostalet al. base their system on single transmitter and receiver units and onsingle mode optical fibers, they require an elaborate feedback mechanismto keep their transceivers aimed at each other. This feedback mechanismis not needed in the present invention, because the use of clusters oftransmitter units and receiver units compensates for scintillation andbeam wander, and because multimode optical fibers 20 of the presentinvention have wider divergence angles (order of 2 milliradians) thanthe very narrow divergence angles of the single mode optical fibers usedby Kostal et al.

The system of FIG. 2 is adequate for linking two parts of an opticalcommunications network that are separated by distances up to severalhundred meters. For communications across greater distances, thetransmitted optical signals must be amplified. FIG. 4 shows a variant38′ of transmitter 38 that includes optical amplifiers 70 and 71 forthis purpose. In variant 38′, each transmitter unit 42 is provided withits own optical amplifier 70. Each optical amplifier 70 is opticallycoupled to a respective transmitter optical fiber 50 at proximal end 51of transmitter optical fiber 50 and to a respective optical amplifierinput optical fiber 72 at the distal end 74 of optical amplifier inputoptical fiber 72. Optical amplifier input optical fibers 72 areoptically coupled at the proximal ends 76 thereof to distal end 65 ofcommon input optical fiber 64 by splitter 54 and a fourth, commonoptical amplifier 71. Common optical amplifier 71 is optically coupledto common input optical fiber 64 at distal end 65 thereof and to anoptical amplifier output fiber 78 at the proximal end 82 thereof, andthe distal end 80 of optical amplifier output fiber 78 is opticallycoupled to splitter 54. Note that optical amplifier 71 is optional. Theoptical fibers leading into and out of an optical amplifier 70 must besingle mode optical fibers. Therefore, transmitter units 42 must bevariants B of transceiver units 10.

Optical amplifiers 70 typically are erbium-doped fiber amplifiers orsemiconductor optical amplifiers.

Although the transfer of optical signals from a single-mode opticalfiber to a multimode optical fiber is energetically efficient, this isnot the case for transfer of optical signals from a multimode opticalfiber to a single mode optical fiber. Therefore, it is preferred thatreceiver units 44 be variants A of transceiver units 10, and thatoptical fibers 52 and 66 be multimode optical fibers. If receiver 62 ofa network interface unit 58 is configured to receive single mode input,receiver 62 must be provided with a passive adapter 68, as shown in FIG.2 for network interface unit 58L, to provide efficient optical couplingof common output optical fiber 66 to receiver 62. Examples of suitablepassive adapters 68 include graded index lenses and collimators.

FIG. 5 shows an alternate transceiver 84 of the present invention,optically coupled to network interface unit 58. Transmitter 60 ofnetwork interface unit 58 is optically coupled by a transmitter opticalfiber 86 to a transmitter 38 of the type discussed above. Receiver 62 ofnetwork interface unit 58 is optically coupled by a receiver opticalfiber 88 to a converter unit 90 that is substantially identical to TXU20 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,619. Converter unit 90 is in turnelectronically coupled to an airlink receiver 92 by a suitable connector96. Optical signals intercepted by airlink receiver 92 are converted toelectronic signals and relayed to converter unit 96, which converts theelectronic signals back to optical signals, as described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,818,619.

In FIG. 5, dashed line 46 represents the optical axis of a singletransmitter unit 42, if transmitter 38 includes only one transmitterunit 42, or the parallel optical axes of all the transmitter units 42 oftransmitter 38, if transmitter 38 includes more than one transmitterunit 42. Airlink receiver 92 also has an optical axis, indicated byreference numeral 94. Optical axes 46 and 94 are parallel.

Transceiver 84 is used in the same way as transceiver 36 to link twodifferent parts of an optical communications network.

The systems of the present invention may be substituted for the systemdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,619 in any of the applications of thelatter system. The systems of the present invention also may be used toexchange DWDM signals between two widely separated parts of an opticalcommunications network. FIG. 6 is a partial schematic illustration of asystem of the present invention configured for this purpose. At thetransmitting location, transmitter 38L receives DWDM optical signalsfrom transmitter 60L of network interface unit 58L via an optical fiber64L and launches those signals as a collimated light beam 104 towardsreceiver 40R at the receiving location. Preferably, transmitter 38L isone of the variants of a transmitter of the present invention thatincludes one or more optical amplifiers 70, as discussed above, andoptical fiber 64L is a single mode optical fiber. Receiver 40R isoptically coupled to a demultiplexer 98 by a multimode optical waveguide104. Demultiplexer 98 directs each of the incoming carrier wavelengthsto a respective channel that includes a detector 100 for converting theoptical signals carried on that carrier wavelength to electronic signalsand an amplifier 102 for amplifying the electronic signals from therespective detector 100.

The definition of a network interface unit 58, as understood in thecontext of the present invention, is broader than in U.S. Pat. No.5,818,619. In particular, network interface unit 58 may be an RF-opticaltransceiver, such as the SAT-LIGHT 2000 transceiver available fromFoxcom Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, that is used for converting RF analogsignals to optical signals and vice versa. Conventionally, these opticalsignals are exchanged between two separate locations via optical fibers.The present invention enables these transceivers to be used to exchangeoptical signals between two separate locations without laying opticalfibers between the two locations. One important application of this isin cellular telephony. It often is desirable to locate a cellulartelephony base station antenna at a considerable distance from the otherbase station hardware. The present invention allows this to be donewithout laying optical fibers between the base station and the basestation antenna, thereby allowing enhanced flexibility in the siting ofthe base station antenna.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the preferred opticalamplifiers 70 and 71 for a transmitter 38′ intended for the transmissionof RF analog signals are not the preferred optical amplifiers 70 and 71that are used for digital applications such as DWDM. The opticalamplifiers 70 and 71 that are used in analog applications must haveenhanced linearity. Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers of suitable linearityare commonly used in CATV applications.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited numberof embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations,modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless free space communications system,comprising: (a) a transmitter optical waveguide having a proximal endand a distal end; (b) transmitter imaging optics, optically coupled tosaid distal end of said transmitter optical waveguide, for transmittingoptical signals into free space; (c) at least one receiver opticalwaveguide having a proximal end and a distal end; (d) for each said atleast one receiver optical waveguide, receiver imaging optics opticallycoupled to said distal end of said at least one receiver opticalwaveguide, for receiving optical signals from free space; and (e) anoptical communication network interface unit, optically coupled to saidproximal ends of said transmitter optical waveguide and of said at leastone receiver optical waveguide, for transmitting said transmittedoptical signals to said transmitter optical waveguide and for receivingsaid received optical signals from said at least one receiver opticalwaveguide.
 2. The wireless communications system of claim 1, including aplurality of said receiver optical waveguides.
 3. The wirelesscommunications system of claim 2, further comprising: (f) a combiner foroptically coupling said proximal ends of said receiver opticalwaveguides to said network interface unit.
 4. The wirelesscommunications system of claim 3, further comprising: (g) a passiveadapter for optically coupling said combiner to said network interfaceunit.
 5. The wireless communications system of claim 4, wherein saidpassive adapter is selected from the group consisting of graded indexlenses and collimators.
 6. The wireless communications system of claim1, further comprising: (f) for each said at least one receiver opticalwaveguide, a passive adapter for optically coupling said proximal end ofsaid each receiver optical waveguide to said network interface unit. 7.The wireless communications system of claim 4, wherein said passiveadapter is selected from the group consisting of graded index lenses andcollimators.
 8. An optical transceiver comprising: (a) a transmitteroptical waveguide having a distal end; (b) transmitter imaging optics,having a transmitter optical axis, optically coupled to said distal endof said transmitter optical waveguide; and (c) an airlink receiverhaving a receiver optical axis substantially parallel to saidtransmitter optical axis.
 9. The optical transceiver of claim 8, furthercomprising: (d) a converter unit, electrically coupled to said airlinkreceiver.
 10. A wireless communication system, comprising: (a) atransmitter optical waveguide having a proximal end and a distal end;(b) transmitter imaging optics, optically coupled to said distal end ofsaid transmitter optical waveguide; (c) an airlink receiver; (d) aconverter unit, electrically coupled to said airlink receiver; and (e)an optical communication network interface unit, optically coupled tosaid proximal end of said transmitter optical waveguide and to saidconverter unit, for transmitting optical signals to said transmitteroptical waveguide and for receiving optical signals from said converterunit.
 11. The wireless communications system of claim 1, furthercomprising: (f) a mechanism for suppressing reflections at said distalend of said transmitter optical waveguide.
 12. The wirelesscommunications system of claim 1, further comprising: (f) an opticalamplifier, optically coupled to said transmitter optical waveguide. 13.A wireless free space communications system comprising: (a) atransmitter optical waveguide having a proximal end and a distal end;(b) transmitter imaging optics, optically coupled to said distal end ofsaid transmitter optical waveguide, for transmitting optical signalsinto free space; (c) at least one receiver optical waveguide having aproximal end and a distal end; and (d) for each said at least onereceiver optical waveguide, receiver imaging optics optically coupled tosaid distal end of said at least one receiver optical waveguide, forreceiving said optical signals from free space.
 14. The wireless freespace communications system of claim 13, wherein said transmitteroptical waveguide and said transmitter imaging optics are spatiallyseparated from said at least one receiver optical waveguide and fromsaid at least one receiver imaging optics.
 15. The wireless free spacecommunications system of claim 14, wherein said transmitter imagingoptics are aimed at said receiver imaging optics, so that saidtransmitted optical signals are at least partly intercepted by saidreceiver imaging optics.
 16. The wireless free space communicationssystem of claim 13, wherein said transmitter imaging optics are aimed atsaid receiver imaging optics, so that said transmitted optical signalsare at least partly intercepted by said receiver imaging optics.
 17. Awireless communications system, comprising: (a) a transmitter opticalwaveguide having a proximal end and a distal end; (b) transmitterimaging optics, optically coupled to said distal end of said transmitteroptical waveguide; (c) a plurality of receiver optical waveguide, eachsaid receiver optical waveguide having a proximal end and a distal end;(d) for each said receiver optical waveguide, respective receiverimaging optics optically coupled to said distal end of said eachreceiver optical waveguide; and (e) an optical communication networkinterface unit, optically coupled to said proximal ends of saidtransmitter optical waveguide and of said receiver optical waveguides,for transmitting optical signals to said transmitter optical waveguideand for receiving optical signals from said receiver optical waveguides.